Operations at Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport have been suspended following a dispute with workers, resulting in the immediate closure of all check-in counters.
Local media reported that the shutdown began at 2:00 PM local time on Thursday.
Israeli news outlet Ynet reported that airport and air traffic authorities had notified airlines about the impending closure beforehand.
Due to the suspension of check-in services, several flights bound for Tel Aviv were forced to turn back mid-journey to their points of origin. Employees from four ground-service companies operating at the airport have also reportedly stopped working.
This standstill has occurred during one of the busiest times of the year, a period when the airport typically handles approximately 100,000 passengers and 600 flights daily.
The Israel Airports Authority stated that airport operations and passenger services have been severely disrupted by the work stoppage, initiated in accordance with directives from the workers’ committee. Authorities have urged the staff to immediately call off the strike to restore normalcy.
The Airports Authority also warned that if the work stoppage continues, steps would be taken to resolve the matter through the courts.
A Ynet report indicated that officials from the Israeli Ministry of Transport warned that if the stoppage is proven to be part of a deliberate slowdown of operations, airport staff could face dismissal.
Transport Minister Miri Regev has instructed the Ministry’s Director-General, Moshe Ben Zaken, to take immediate action to address the situation.
